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laceymcbain.livejournal.com) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
crack_van2011-12-11 11:39 pm
laceymcbain.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2011-12-11 11:39 pm
The Inescapable Charm of The Countdown by amazingly_me (PG-13)
Fandom: INCEPTION
Pairing: Mostly Gen - Mal/Cobb (background), Arthur/Eames (pre-slash)
Length: ~ 13,300 words
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
amazingly_me; and_backagain
Author Website: Fic Masterpost
Why this must be read: Continuing in the spirit of fascinating Alternate Universe stories, this is a Lawyer AU. What I really admire about this one is how the author still manages to work in the key events from the movie. Arthur's a prosecuting criminal attorney working with the Cobbs at their law firm; Eames is the premiere defense attorney. Arthur and Eames keep winding up facing one another on cases and their relationship becomes something akin to friendship. At least until Arthur is cautioned about seeming too friendly with "the enemy," and forces himself to take a step back.
However, when Cobb is taken into custody for allegedly killing Mal, Arthur turns to the best defense attorney he knows for help: Eames. Together they piece together what's happened - including the dream-sharing connections - and even with two great legal minds applied to the case, Arthur and Eames can recognize Cobb will be convicted. There's one alternative, but can two men who've sworn to uphold the law give up everything they've worked for in order to save Cobb from prison?
I really enjoy the relationships in this story. Arthur and Eames are adversarial, but also very collegial, much as they are in the movie. There's a grudging respect for one another even when they're working on opposite sides, and it says a great deal that when everything goes to hell, Eames is the person Arthur turns to for help, both personally and professionally. This is a good story with a well-thought out plot and strong characterization with appearances by all the movie's major players; the "pairings" are secondary to the story itself, so if you're not a fan of overt slash or het give this a read. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
"That was very well-played," Eames tells him in a way that is almost definitely mocking. Arthur sits down at the table before he remembers that he isn’t going to, gets halfway up again, fidgets in mid-air and then sits, feeling slightly like an idiot.
"It isn’t a game," he snaps to make up for it, twisting noodles around his fork.
Eames doesn’t say anything for a moment, and when Arthur looks up he finds the other man staring at him, one eyebrow quirked, intrigued. Arthur is relatively certain this is the last thing he needs.
"Of course not, darling," Eames says, "but it was well-played, all the same. Congratulations."
The worst thing about Eames, Arthur decides as he pulls his Thai leftovers from the office fridge the next day, is how infuriatingly competent he is. Arthur absolutely cannot fucking stand it.
There is a theory (a theory Cobb shares it with him more than once, in various stages of amusement) which goes like this: Eames is an attorney. As such, he is part of the American legal system, a system which-- while it has its flaws-- is a good system, a system which Cobb and Arthur believe in or they would not have the jobs that they do. Eames, as part of this system, needs to be competent so that the system to function as it was designed to, with two opposing forces of equal strength working against each other. And therefore, Arthur ought to be quite pleased that Eames is competent.
And Arthur agrees with this theory. In theory.
"He’s an over-confident asshole," Arthur points out wearily after hearing Cobb’s lecture for the fifth time.
"An over-confident asshole who’s very good at his job," Cobb says, shrugging.
"That’s the problem," Arthur says, and realizes very swiftly that he isn’t making any sense, and that there’s really no reason not to be. He snaps his mouth shut.
On LJ: The Inescapable Charm of The Countdown
It doesn't matter how old or new or (how popular) a story is, authors love feedback!
Pairing: Mostly Gen - Mal/Cobb (background), Arthur/Eames (pre-slash)
Length: ~ 13,300 words
Author on LJ:
amazingly_me; and_backagainAuthor Website: Fic Masterpost
Why this must be read: Continuing in the spirit of fascinating Alternate Universe stories, this is a Lawyer AU. What I really admire about this one is how the author still manages to work in the key events from the movie. Arthur's a prosecuting criminal attorney working with the Cobbs at their law firm; Eames is the premiere defense attorney. Arthur and Eames keep winding up facing one another on cases and their relationship becomes something akin to friendship. At least until Arthur is cautioned about seeming too friendly with "the enemy," and forces himself to take a step back.
However, when Cobb is taken into custody for allegedly killing Mal, Arthur turns to the best defense attorney he knows for help: Eames. Together they piece together what's happened - including the dream-sharing connections - and even with two great legal minds applied to the case, Arthur and Eames can recognize Cobb will be convicted. There's one alternative, but can two men who've sworn to uphold the law give up everything they've worked for in order to save Cobb from prison?
I really enjoy the relationships in this story. Arthur and Eames are adversarial, but also very collegial, much as they are in the movie. There's a grudging respect for one another even when they're working on opposite sides, and it says a great deal that when everything goes to hell, Eames is the person Arthur turns to for help, both personally and professionally. This is a good story with a well-thought out plot and strong characterization with appearances by all the movie's major players; the "pairings" are secondary to the story itself, so if you're not a fan of overt slash or het give this a read. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
"That was very well-played," Eames tells him in a way that is almost definitely mocking. Arthur sits down at the table before he remembers that he isn’t going to, gets halfway up again, fidgets in mid-air and then sits, feeling slightly like an idiot.
"It isn’t a game," he snaps to make up for it, twisting noodles around his fork.
Eames doesn’t say anything for a moment, and when Arthur looks up he finds the other man staring at him, one eyebrow quirked, intrigued. Arthur is relatively certain this is the last thing he needs.
"Of course not, darling," Eames says, "but it was well-played, all the same. Congratulations."
The worst thing about Eames, Arthur decides as he pulls his Thai leftovers from the office fridge the next day, is how infuriatingly competent he is. Arthur absolutely cannot fucking stand it.
There is a theory (a theory Cobb shares it with him more than once, in various stages of amusement) which goes like this: Eames is an attorney. As such, he is part of the American legal system, a system which-- while it has its flaws-- is a good system, a system which Cobb and Arthur believe in or they would not have the jobs that they do. Eames, as part of this system, needs to be competent so that the system to function as it was designed to, with two opposing forces of equal strength working against each other. And therefore, Arthur ought to be quite pleased that Eames is competent.
And Arthur agrees with this theory. In theory.
"He’s an over-confident asshole," Arthur points out wearily after hearing Cobb’s lecture for the fifth time.
"An over-confident asshole who’s very good at his job," Cobb says, shrugging.
"That’s the problem," Arthur says, and realizes very swiftly that he isn’t making any sense, and that there’s really no reason not to be. He snaps his mouth shut.
On LJ: The Inescapable Charm of The Countdown
It doesn't matter how old or new or (how popular) a story is, authors love feedback!